Squirt Minors Weekend Report
The Clipper Squirt Minors played three games this past weekend. The Clippers split the contests, tying the Greater New Haven Squirt B's, 3–3; falling to the Mid-Fairfield Squirt Minors Tier 1, 4–3; and, defeating the West Haven Squirt B's, 5-2. Throughout the two weekend games, the Clippers skated with a high intensity which quickly put aside the less than inspirational effort put forth against the Greater New Haven squad. On Thursday, the Clippers hosted an evening soiree against the GNH Warriors. While the home team controlled most of the play in the first period, they could not capitalize on all of their opportunities. The game was scoreless until late in the opening period when Matt Bucher, fed by Christian DiDonato put the puck past the Warrior goalie. The play started on a nice clearing pass from defenseman Kevin Landau. However, the Clippers could not hold onto the lead as the Warriors scored a minute later to tie the game. With less than a minute to play in the first, Taggart Corriveau took passes from Adam Shea and Nick Adamsons to put the Clippers ahead 2–1, which stood at period’s end. The Warrior skaters opened the second period with a rush and caught the Clippers napping scoring 0:37 seconds into the period, tying the game at 2–2. That goal seemed to deflate the Clippers while giving the Warriors some life. For the balance of the second period and half way into the third, both teams played solid defense but the offenses were non-existent. With five minutes remaining in the game, defenseman Evan Sliker led a rush from the defensive blue line to put the Clippers ahead. Nick Waznia and DiDonato added assists. The Warriors, however, would not go away and upped their intensity to score the final goal with less than two minutes to go and tied the game, 3–3. Al Rogers made 10 saves (13 shots) in this low-offense, low-energy affair.
On Saturday, the Clippers needed to increase their intensity and did so, skating neck and neck with a strong Mid Fairfield squad. Mid Fairfield opened the scoring five minutes into the game. The Clippers came back as Christian DiDonato banged in a power play goal off a rebound of a Taggart Corriveau shot. Evan Sliker also assisted. The first period ended at 1–1. The Clippers broke the tie two minutes into the second period when Adam Shea cleared the puck down the ice and Taylor Thomas out-hustled the Mid-Fairfield defenseman to tip the puck past an out-of-position goaltender. The Clippers then went up 3-1 when gritty corner work by Nick Adamsons and Shea allowed Adamsons to get free and score. Sliker and Shea earned the assists, for both, their second of the game. Mid Fairfield bounced back moments later to close within 3-2, the score at end of the second period. The beginning of the third period began with the Clippers taking a penalty one minute in. Mid Fairfield didn’t waste time, scoring 0:16 seconds into the man-advantage to tie the game at 3-3. Mid Fairfield scored the final tally of the game, this time on a delayed Clipper penalty, to put the visitors up 4-3 with nine minutes to go. For the balance of the game, the fans were treated to an extremely intense display of hockey with both teams having quality chances to score only to have both goalies and defenses rise to the occasion. Even though the Clippers lost, the effort and team play was highly encouraging. Al Rogers continued his consistent, if not dazzling, display in the nets turning away 29 of 33 quality Mid Fairfield shots.
On Sunday, the Clippers traveled to West Haven to play an older, bigger Squirt B team. The home team opened the scoring two minutes into the game. The Clippers’ Matt Bucher then took a pass from Nick Waznia and blew through the defense and fired a shot past the West Haven goalie to tie the game at 1-1. Christian DiDonato also assisted. West Haven scored their second and final goal of the game with three minutes to go in the first period, which ended at 2-1, West Haven. The rest of the game was all Clippers, as they wore down the West Haven skaters. Four minutes into the second period Taggart Corriveau scored, banging in a rebound off shots from Adam Shea and Nick Adamsons as they swarmed the West Haven goal. The Clippers then took a 3-2 lead. With the Clippers shorthanded, Shea, took a nice feed from Bucher, and skated past the West Haven defense and scored. Three minutes later, DiDonato scored, with Evan Sliker earning the assist. The second period ended with the Clippers leading 4-2. The only third period scoring again came from the Clippers. On a face-off in the West Haven end, a determined Corriveau took a pass from Matt Trevethan, and worked the puck past the West Haven net minder, for his second goal of the evening. For the rest of the game, West Haven was not able to muster a comeback. The defense anchored by Al Rogers (23 saves on 25 shots) made the lead hold up, for a final score of 5-2.
Article written by Karl Adamsons.
